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Stafford Inn Pub of Downright Drink'n!
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Reddmaeve :"Hey, Big," Maeve exclaimed excitedly as she danced in place. "How about I just.... oooooooooooooof." The protracted sound of the air whooshing out of her lungs was punctuated by a pair of grunts. One from herself and one from the man who had fallen on top of her and the woman who had provided the well-executed tackle, :"Oh, Jah," she said, squirming at the bottom of the pile. "I didn't REALLY want to know what this sticky stuff is on the floor." She squirmed some more and looked around. "Hey, those are some nice shoes!" And squirmed yet again before just giving up and lying beneath them all, breathing shallowly, letting her chin rest on her arm to keep her face out of the muck and mud on the rough planked floor. :"If I had known it was going to be this hard to spend some time with you, I would have just taken my clothes off when I walked in," she muttered. Scarletrose031 :Scarlet's lips twitched in amusement as she noted the jumble of bodies sprawled on the floor of the tavern. :One delicate brow shot up suddenly, green eyes narrowing as she focussed on one particular person. Rolling her eyes she made her way over to him, then dropped to one knee next to him. :Leaning close, her heart-shaped face hovering over his she smiled down at Biggie. The tiny redhead's smile was deceptively sweet as she gently stroked his cheek. "Havin' fun are ya love?"she purred. :Grabbing him by the ear suddenly she yanked hard, giving it a painful wrench. "BIGGIE DE LA VEGA ! Wha' ave ya been up ta now? Look at ya..yer a mess!" She wrinkled her nose as she continued to scold him." An' ya don' smell no better'n ya look!" Jerri :Aasha wrote: :Catching the attention of a passing barmaid, she signals for two ales. This'n is on me. I hopes ya likes ale...I ain't big on that harder stuff... :Arghh, he grimaced internally as he saw the barmaid bring the drinks, it was hard to tell anyone how he had offered the drink because he did not intend to drink it himself -- nope, it was not hard, it was extremely rude -- so he kept quiet about it and gave a short nod of acknowledgment and mumbled thank you before drinking up the ale offered. It was a curse of people like him, they have to pay a favor back or they feel indebted. He got to his feet in a fluid motion and muttered, g'day as he flung his cloak on, now that he had even had a drink and the commotion was getting worse, there was no reason to stay -- moments later he had left into the night, warmed by the very thing he hated. Xarine_odonovan :Confused, she sat up, a bob of red hair flipping before her eyes. She pushed off of Biggie and noticed the pretty woman sprawled underneath him, terrifyingly close to some kind of goo on the floor. It was just another time that her ivory cheeks pinked against her highbones, and she scooted off so embarrassed that her eyes pinned to the dirty floor of the pub, her chin near pinned to her chest. :She didn't offer to help either up, at the moment, she just wanted to sink into the shadows as she usually had the great ability to do. Not to mention her jaw throbbed so hard she wanted to cry over it. But like so many times she wanted to cry, she had no tears. So shamed, she stared at the floor in silence as the side of her face discolored from it's natural pale, to a swollen red, black and blue. Edie :Her master's litter-mate brought her to this place where the people seemed to be crazy. Some were fighting and it set her teeth on edge. The whole place reeked of something that burned her nose. When her master came home smelling that way, she always stepped quickly to stay out from under foot because even he hadn't seemed to know where his feet would land next. :Edie watches the strange man approach, her nose twitching. She knows the sounds the humans make have meaning. Master used to speak to her on their long days out tending sheep. She knows many of their words. Sit. Stay. Come. Wolf. River. Rose was the female who master intended to take as a mate--she had disappeared too. Rain was the woman sitting next to her. When master called her a "stupid dog" that meant she had done something obviously good that he hadn't thought of. She knew of a number of words that, similar to a growl, meant they were angry. But most of what was coming out of the man's mouth made no sense to her. She understood "good doggie" and "nice doggie," but she wasn't entirely convinced. Edie tilted her head to one side and cocked her ears up, trying to understand, then finally turned to Rain, unsure what to do with someone who so clearly had come unhinged. Rainchaser77 :Rain looks up, her attention suddenly caught by Edie turning to watch behind her. She feels the dog tense next to her, and jumps several feet in the air (or so it feels to her) when she hears someone inches from her begin spouting baby-talk. She lets out a yelp of surprise, and then blushes bright red at the reaction. :"Don't do that! Didn't anyone ever tell you it's not nice to sneak up on people?!" :Watching Edie, Rain starts to giggle nervously about being startled and because of the comically human expression on the dog's face. Edie's eyebrows are drawn down into a concerned doggie frown, then shoot up in surprise at Rain's laughter. The very tip of the dog's tail wags uncertainly, but none of the tension leaves her body. Rain knows she's waiting for some kind of command, but doesn't give it for the moment. She raises an eyebrow at the stranger. :"Why are you sneaking over here anyway? It's friendlier to meet someone face to face." :She gestures to the bartender to bring another round for her and the new fellow, going on as if nothing has happened. Tuesday :Tuesday watched the stranger's - she had been sure she knew him from somewhere but now, after hearing hims speak, was no longer so convinced - cooing over Edie. Edie WAS a good dog. Seeing her made her miss her cousin. A pang of sadness ran through her. :The place that had been occupied by the fellow she'd bought a round for was quickly filled by a page. He handed her a note, and mumbled to her, :"My condolences, Lady Darnley." :Tuesday did not need to open the parchment. She did so anyways. :My Lady, :Following the earlier news of the discovery of the destroyed camp to the northeast of Derby, it is my sad duty to inform you that forest rangers have recovered Tizack's mortal remains near the border of Stafford County. Per your previous instruction, he is to be brought home to Ludlow Castle for last rites and burial. :Aliester Dodds, :Chief Steward, Ludlow Castle. :Even knowing it was coming, seeing this news was a blow to Tuesday. Her golden complexion drained to ash, and the din of the room seemd inconsequential next to the roaring in her ears. She left the parchment face up on the bar, and walked, unseeing, into the night. Biggumbo :with the ear grabbing and the Biggie sandwich deluxe between 2 redheads was just plain bonus! Hoping for 3... In a low grumbling voice "Har har har! Cousin!... wait did she just say??" did he hear her right taking clothes off when he walked through the door???... :he hesitates at the thought and gently plucks and prys Freckles hand from his ear and plops to the ground next to Maeve turning towards her.... "milady you have my attention..." unaware of the surroundings as he looks deep into Maeves eyes with an devilish bit of grin... in a light voice "more exploración..." as he lets his breath out... thinking to himself... "mi clase de señora" he quietly blurted out under his breath as the alcohol was working it's way through his system... noticing that his words are becoming more and more Spanish... most may not understand him... Pinkcoat :Accessing the situation would be a good idea. He was sitting on the floor talking to a dog, he had just scared the owner, who now seemed upset/giggling/careless, and the lady who had bought him a drink had hasted out of the door like something bad had happened. :He stands up " Oh hi there lady. I wasn't sneaking up on you, I was just saying hello to your dog, but she doesn't at all act like my friend's cousin's pet pig! My friends taught me their language...but when I think of it maybe he was joking.... But pardon me" :Pinkcoat sits down in the adjacent seat. After some fidgeting he takes off his hat also, and nods politely :"Pinkcoat at your service" :He tells the 'tender he would like something hot. He turns to the new lady "What do you think of this snowfall? Looks like it's going to stay" Lyrabeecher :Shivering from the cold as she trudged up the road, Lyra Beecher spotted the lights of the pub at the inn ahead. Eager to get out of the wind and hopeful for a warm fire and a light snack, she decided that she could take a short break and still have time to reach her destination before nightfall. :Lyra entered the pub and gave a friendly smile to the other patrons. "Hello," she said as she walked up to and had a seat at the bar. Then she waited patiently to see if there was someone to take her order. Aasha :A bit surprised by the abrupt departure, Aasha watched the stranger leave, then leaned back further in her chair. She had the corner to herself again, which was how she preferred...it was much safer this way, especially if memories continued to haunt her. :She glanced around the tavern again, the dynamics had changed. The commotion had continued, but others had entered. She'd missed Rain's entrance, the dog and the other man's as well. With so much going on, it would be easy to slip out unnoticed, yet she couldn't find the will to move. There was energy here, something she'd felt depleted of when she entered...something she hoped to soak up from those around her before she made her way home. Afraid to close her eyes lest one of them get too close, she sighed and tried to relax, letting the shadows chase across her face. Lyrabeecher :Lyra managed to catch the eye of the barmaid and ordered some ale and something to eat. A few moments later, Lyra was happily enjoying a nice crusty piece of bread and a couple of pieces of rich tasting cheese and washing it down with a refreshing mug of ale. As she finished eating, she glanced out the window and realized that it was getting later than she'd thought, she needed to be moving along. :With a slight sigh that she couldn't linger longer, Lyra wrapped her scarf around her head as she went back out the door into the cold to continue on her journey. Jorne :All the days in the mines lately had roughen Jorne up a little. The County's new Mine Incentive certainly intrigued Jorne and he wanted to work in the mines everyday as he saved up his pounds. Tonight he decided he'd return to the pub for a quick drink and maybe a chat with a few folks. His last visit here had certainly been exciting and perhaps maybe their would be a little less damage this time. :As he approached the entrance and saw a lady he had not seen before leaving although he felt like he recognized her. She seemed to be in quite a hurry so he simply nodded his head, "G'day ma'am" as he passed by her. He swung open the door and examined the room, some people were still there from when he had left and some new people had entered. Rainchaser77 :Rain smiles at the newcomer and reaches down to pat Edie on the head and scratch behind her ears. As he goes on about the pigs, the smile grows into an amused grin. :"It's nice to meet you, Pinkcoat. I'm Rain and this is Edie." She gives the dog another pat. "I have to say, my pigs have never spoken to me. If Donnor's have talked to him, he hasn't said so." She snickers at the thought of talking pigs. All hers ever did was snort and roll in the mud and eat...and eat...and eat. Thinking out loud, she wonders, "If the pigs talk, what do they say? Maybe they have to be pets?" :"I'm sorry, snow? Hmm...yes, I think winter has definitely settled in." Ladylizzy :Two solid weeks of mine work with only sundays off for weapons training had begun to take their toll on Lizzy, She ached in muscles she had never known existed and it it had taken an hours solid scrubbing to rid herself of the grime...she really needed a drink. :Walking towards the nearest tavern, a nice quiet well kept little place, she :was distracted by a disturbance further along the street...the sign said 'STAFFORD INN' it hung at an angle from one chain, the lights were bright, there was singing, shouting, the sound of tankards crashing to the floor, and ...was that...yes it was....breaking furniture! Ha she laughed feels like home already! :The door was really heavy to open, probably because someone had crashed out right in front of it, she shouldered it open and stepped over the body... :The place was packed solid, not a hope of reaching the bar by the usual route.. no problem though, she placed one foot on the muscular thigh of a man sat at the nearest table and using the tables as stepping stones, with the occassional 'excuse me, pardon me, so sorry' she skipped across to the bar, landing lightly, in a dark corner where there was a little more space. Page 9 Pinkcoat :The remote sound of a dove can be heard through the huzzle of the Inn :"Very nice to meet you Rain and Edie! Unfortunately, I have to run now. We will have to continue this conversation somewhere else. And as I said, a pleasure to meet you. So long!" :Pinkcoat makes his way to the door in five long steps, and shoots out through it. Aasha :She'd been here longer than she'd planned. She could tell when she saw the same faces enter that she'd watched exit so many hours ago. Stiff from sitting so long, the girl stood and stretched, then gauged the distance from her nice dark corner to the door just swinging open again. She'd have to skirt the crowd that had gathered for the skirmish. :But wait, there was an open window not far away. Wondering what fool left a window open when the wind was blowing so ferociously, Aasha carefully made her way to it, then shimmied through before anyone could notice, glad she'd kept some skills honed even if she'd lost the ability to mask so many of her emotions. :Out in the fresh night air, she took a deep breath, then began her way back to the empty house she still called home. Martha_ann :Martha Ann walked into the tavern. She stood at the door not knowing whether to come in or not. A little girl could get trampled with all the commotion, she remembered how her mother had told her not to go in places like this. Finally, not knowing whether it was hunger or the cold outside she made her decision. She walked further and noticed a dog that looked an awful lot like a hunting dog her father used to have. The dog had died when she was only 8, three years ago. :She dodged through the crowd and climbed up to a stool at the bar. "Could I please have a cup of tea?" she asked, putting a few coins on the bar. Then she turned around and looked back at the dog. It really did look like a lot like Rounder. He'd been a nice dog, but she wasn't sure if this one would be friendly or not. Gabrielle_ :Walking through the light snow, Gabby watches as a young wisp of a girl goes into the tavern. She wonders why and curiousity, getting the best of her, as it often does, follows in. :She smiles as the girl climbs up onto the barstool and makes her order, noting the wistful look at the dog from her. Approaching with her click click of the cane upon the floor, the young woman takes a seat near. :"Hello, child... I am Gabrielle. A cold day to be out." :Gabby was about to order her regular, a scotch wiskey, then thought better of it with the girl there, ordering instead the same as her and a plate of bread and cheese. Their orders having arrived, Gabby says, :"I always forget how generous the tavern keep is with the bread and cheese.. would you like some? I could never finish this all myself." :Gabby smiles gently at the young girl and nudges the plate over towards her a bit. Martha_ann :While looking at the dog, Martha Ann noticed a young woman walk up towards the bar.Thinking that the woman might think her nosy, she noded politely and turned around. She heard the woman introduce herself. :"Yes a very cold day. My name's Martha Ann." :Gabrielle's order arrived, and Martha Ann was surprised and thankful when she offered some bread and cheese. She took a peice and ate it slowly licking every crumb off her finger tips. She took a drink of tea to wash it down. :"Thank you for the bread and cheese, it was very delicious." :Martha Ann looked over at Gabrielle and wondered why she needed a cane when she wasn't old. She thought about asking, but then she decided not to in case it was rude. Maybe she might find out later. She didn't know what to say, she was extremely tired after the long walk here. With her parents being gone, it felt like all she'd done was walk. Gabrielle_ :Gabby being inquisitive of nature, held no qualms about asking a question, much less of a young girl. It wasn't hard to note that the poor girl was near starved. With politeness and a sincere wanting to know, she queried, :"Nice to meet you, Martha Ann. That is a pretty name. I am glad you enjoyed the bread and cheese with me, it would have been terrible to waste. Where do you live? Are you here in town with family?" :Gabby looked over the lass' clothes and keeping of her hair and cleanliness.. nothing seemed terribly amiss about any of it. Gabby chided herself after asking the questions, it was like her, always thinking the worst.. She could have been sent here with a few farthings by her father out in the market haggling over the price of winter vegetables or new tack for the plowshare and mule, so she didn't catch a chill. Martha_ann :Hearing the comments and question hurt her a little to remember her parents death and how sudden it was. :She replied trying to keep tears out of her voice, " My parents died of what the doctors told me was sweat. I left to live with my neighbors, but they treated me badly. I am alone and with no family left to go to. But I have a little money." :Martha Ann longed for a loving person to hold her and comfort her and to tell her things will be allright. She hoped things will turn out that way but she won't get her hopes up to high. Gabrielle_ :Gabby saw the pained expression immediately, even as the brave girl tried to keep the tears from her eyes and voice. Gabby reached out her arm and pulled the young lass close to her in a big, almost smothering hug. :"Oh you poor dear! Poor poor child!" she exclaimed nearly weeping herself. :Gabby rocked the girl in her arms, :"We will just have to find someone in Coventry to look after you. You can call me Aunty Gabby, I will make sure you are taken care of." :Her mind ran off in a million directions, :"If need be we shall have the Judge declare you my ward," she rambled on. Martha_ann :With a surprised look, Martha Ann finally felt as she had wanted. She was close to a family, and a family who she was sure loved her. :Martha Ann replied, "Oh thank you! I mustn't worry anymore, I would love to have a family to live with, and I won't get into trouble like i used to..." She didn't know what else to say. Words couldn't describe it. It was the feeling in her heart that explained it, that feeling said everything. :"Do you know of anyone I could stay with in Coventry? And will it be hard to talk to a judge?" :Martha began to wonder what it would feel like in front of a judge. She began to get nervous. But she was a brave girl and knew she could do it, she had walked here all this way alone already. She knew she could stand in front of a judge if she can walk alone. Gabrielle_ :Gabby thought for a moment, taking a hankie from her bag and wiping the pretty girl's face. :"I am sure we can find someone in Coventry... and it shouldn't be to difficult with the Judge. I work with him, being the Public Prosecutor." :Gabby smiled broadly and having finished wiping the girl's face wiped her own. She knew how important is to have someone, to have family, that can be relied on. :"It may take a few days, Martha Ann, to arrange things. There are many things going on and the holidays. So please have some patience, dear lass.. we'll get everything sorted." Martha_ann :"Don't mind me asking, but why do you walk with that cane? I don't want to offend you, so you don't have to answer. And it is very good you can talk to the judge easily, and thank you. :Martha knows her life is starting to change. But her life is changing well. She hopes all will go well... Gabrielle_ :Gabby smiled, not minding one bit to answer such a simple question. :"Last year, I was travelling with my husband, Pieterjan, and we were attacked upon the road between Gloucester and Bristol. I was severely wounded, which permanently damaged my one hip and leg. So.... I need the cane to walk straight, or...." Gabby got up and laughing, limping about in a circle, "I go about in a circle always turning to the left." :Gabby went a little faster, her hand going to the top of her head, giggling, :"Look it is a new dance!! The Wounded Baroness!! All the rage at the Royal Court!!" Still laughing Gabby flopped back down on the stool heavily with a "Ooomph.. I think I am bit dizzy." Martha_ann :Pulled down with laughter, Martha Ann was still able to say she was sorry for Aunt Gabbys leg through tears. It was a funny sight though to see the young woman limping left in circles. :After she had calmed down she asked, "What about your husband? Was he all right?" She then added, "Please tell me about the family. I would like to know more." :She then knew she was going to live a happy life. Gabrielle_ :Gabby smiled brightly at the mention of her husband, obviously still very much in love, even though married to him for well over a year. :"Pieterjan is a learned scholar. He teaches at the University, studies near constantly. He serves as sacristan priest for Lichfield and once even was the Duke of this county. A very accomplished man, indeed. And handsome too. He was just hurt a little." :Gathering her thoughts, she continues, :"Now my family, the Hamiltons, we are Scot and English.. some french members from arranged marriages. I have many cousins, most girls, save Paddy.. dear Paddy, and a 1/2 brother Willie, but haven't heard from him in a long time. Us girls though are very close, Louisa, Meira, Gemma, Nayra and myself." :Gabby almost mentioned Serdan and Ferosh, but thought better of it, the young lass had known too much death already. Donnor :Donnor entered with the hood of his cloak pulled tightly around his head to conceal his face. Standing there momentarily he sought a shadowed corner to sit in where he could do a bit of deep thinking. Without looking at any of the faces in the tavern he made his way to the back of the room to a corner that looked perfect. Slowly he sits and flags down a waiter and tells him to bring something strong because it will be a long night. :Much had been going on with him lately in both internal and external surroundings. On the inside he had felt himself growing cold and distant from everyone. He had been in the mood to fight but decided it would be best for him to just sit alone until his mind was clear and his decision had been made. :As the waiter returned with his drink he told him to start a tab for him as he would be here for a while and would most likely need a good bit to help clear his head. He sat there thinking with his eyes locked to the floor, ignoring the sounds of the world moving around beside him. Page 10 Ladylizzy :It seemed slightly surreal, this place, on the one hand, there were drunken brawls starting up, only to peeter out as the brawlers forgot what they were fighting over, people writhing on the floor, which was highly entertaining, if a bit of a health risk...and a little girl holding a very serious conversation at the bar with a fine lady. :the latest customer was clearly brooding over something, and obviously here for the long haul. :As the waiter was about to return to the bar, Lizzy stopped him and ordered more beer. I think a pitcher this time she said, actually getting anyones attention in this throng was not easy and if she tried to get to the bar it would require another table hopping session... :She sat back and enjoyed the atmosphere Rainchaser77 :Rain watches the people come and go after the dog-lover leaves. Not much seems to be going on. People are caught up in their own lives and drinks and conversations, and she stands to go. Edie hops up, watching her expectantly, following at her heels as she turns to go. :Scanning the room one last time as she walks, Rain spots a familiar figure. She recognizes the cloak, the way he moves, his gesture at the waiter. She doesn't need to see his face. Veering away from the door, she turns toward her husband, Edie still trailing closely behind her. She smiles and reaches out, gently touching his arm when she reaches his table. Donnor :He had just finished his fourth ale when he felt a touch on his arm. Slightly annoyed at the fact someone dared to interrupt him he snapped his head up ready to fight. As the hood of his cloak flew off his head he realized it was his wife. His stomach twisted into knots, he has not talked to her in a while and she does not know about recent events that have brought up bitterness in him. He was almost afraid to be near her at this point. He knew he had to tell her, it was her right to know since it was after all her life. He scanned the room and got up quietly to escort her to a more secluded area in the tavern. Once they arrived in a dark and quiet corner he sat her down. His chest was hurting from the stress and worrying over the last couple months. He knew better than to keep her waiting, otherwise he may just not tell her. :”My dear, I have to tell you something very important and you need to listen closely. You are no longer safe to be around me.” He pauses as his voice starts to shake along with the rest of the trembling in his body. Clearly something had happened that caused him fear and anger. ”I have received threats against yours and Emma’s life and until I eliminate these threats you are not safe. If I was able to I would hire guards to look after you while I am away on business. I know you would not care to constantly be watched over like a child but…” He pauses again as his eyes begin to water from the tears in them. He did not want leave to be with out her, but knew until his family was safe he had no choice. Gently taking her hand in his own he holds it tight ”The truth is, before you came along…I was very alone. You know my family deserted me as an infant and I grew up alone. You and now Emma are the first real family I have ever had besides the Wolves, and when someone makes a threat to disrupt that family of mine I can not just stand there and wait for it to happen.” :His eyes searched hers as he continued to hold onto her hand. He knew as long as he was with her and Emma they would be safe. But he worried about being out on the road and not knowing anything about them back at home. He dropped his head and let out a small sigh as his thoughts continued to swirl around in his head while he sat waiting for her response. Rainchaser77 :She gasps when he looks up, not because of his sudden movement or the annoyance that crosses his face, but because of the dark circles under his eyes and the worry etched into his expression after it passes. Something is wrong. Rain supresses a tiny surge of childish hurt that he isn't happy to see her, managing to keep most of the pout from her face as he leads her to a different table. :She listens as he starts to speak, shaking her head slightly as he goes on. She doesn't want him to go--he's only just gotten back. She opens her mouth to say so, but then closes it again as he goes on. She already knows about some of the threats, and the more she thinks about them the angrier they make her. What kind of a person threatens a baby? And in the name of what is right and just? She firmly believes in what she said to Liza before--the same kind of person who as a child throws kittens into wells for fun. She opens her mouth again to say something, but closes it when she sees the tears in his eyes. She'd only seen him this upset once before when they'd been forced to stay apart for so long and it had been almost more than she could take. It still is. :Rain reaches out and touches her husband's face with her free hand, then realizes after a few moments that he's waiting for a response from her. She sighs and drops her hand back to her lap, finally looking up and meeting his gaze. "I don't want you to go." She states it simply and then sighs, knowing it's not all she has to say. "But I understand. I don't want Emma to spend her life hidden away somewhere because it's too dangerous for her to play outside with the other children. I don't want to live that way either, and won't." She thinks she sees a familiar look cross his face and smiles just a little, speaking to cut off the old argument before it begins. "Don't worry, I'll keep my promise. I won't travel alone. And I'll even stop teasing you about it for a while." Serious again, she goes on. "Will you at least come home for a day or two? Get some rest, love. You need it. And I need you, even if it's just for a little while." Donnor :He offers her a little smile as she asks him to return home. He had been on the road so much lately that the though of home sounded like a wonderful idea to him. He knew he could use the rest so he could work on studying for a while and spend some times with his family. Just long enough to spend time with them before he had to leave again. Perhaps he could even change his empty pig ranch to vegetables while he was home. :”Yes love, I am coming home for as long as I can…or at least until I need to leave again. It will be nice to spend some time alone with you and Emma, and I really need to take in some classes. If you like, we can head that way now. I am eager to see some of the people of Ludlow again, not all, just some.” :He grins at her and realizes it is one of the first times he has smiled in a long time. He was glad to get everything off his chest and could not wait to go home Lyrabeecher :Now that Lyra was back in Stafford County once again, she decided to return to this pub that she had discovered on her last trip. Coming into the pub, she looked around and saw an empty table in the far corner. Settling into one of the chairs facing the room, she looked around a moment before pulling a large, old ledger out of a leather satchel that she carried. Before opening it, Lyra tried to get the attention of the bartender to ask for an ale. :Once Lyra got her ale, she opened up the big old ledger. Scanning through 'Sir's entries of business dealings from 10-11 years ago, she looked for all the entries that she could find under "N. Beecher". All were indicated to be in Stafford County, so her parents must have lived somewhere in Stafford (and she supposed she must have herself, though she didn't remember it). :She looked up from the book and started to drink her ale, wondering if she might find someone who might know anything about where to look first. Edie :She follows Rain across the room to the table with the man. She knows the smell and knows there is no danger, so sits and waits patiently watching the rest of the people in the room. Suddenly her ears perk forward as the tension rises. "Not safe" and "family." Edie knows those words and she whines a little at the sound of them. With Master nowhere to be found, this was her family--her pack. They would be safe. She would make sure of it. She would Guard, though against what she is not sure. There were certainly no wolves in the huge building that was her new home, and these were not sheep. Perhaps other humans? She would Watch and she would Guard, and then she would know. :As her new family stands to go she follows as close as she can without being stepped on. She weaves back and forth behind Rain and her mate, anxious to herd them back to the pup so they would all be where she can keep an eye on them. Feeling much better about the situation, she perks up a little, trotting along happily. Lyrabeecher :Lyra sighed, finally deciding that there was no more she could learn from studying this old ledger. She closed it and leaned over to put it back into the satchel that was sitting on the floor by her feet. For the next few minutes, Lyra continued to lean over, digging through the satchel to see if there was anything else that might be interesting to examine. Katiebeecher :About a half mile down the road from the Pub of Downright Drinkin', Katie Beecher walked along with one hand holding her travel bag and the other hand bracing her aching hip. She was not a young woman and it had been a long time since she had walked this far. :Her heart had set the pace, as she wished to get to Shrewsbury as soon as possible to find out for sure if what she'd been told was true, but her body was not cooperating. Katie was not skilled in medicine but she was wise enough to realize that she'd have to stop and rest somewhere or else she'd end up injuring herself. :Looking up to follow the road with her eyes, she saw a line of smoke rising as from a chimney not too far ahead, so Katie pushed herself forward. Lyrabeecher :Nursing her second ale, Lyra sat at the corner table with a pile of maps and other miscellaneous papers scattered in front of her. Her brow was furrowed as she concentrated on her attempt to decipher the strange map that had been hidden in the box the former mayor of Shrewsbury had given her. :Lyra heard the door of the pub open and felt the cold air come in from outside but she didn't immediately look up to see who had entered. Then, she heard a soft female voice say, "A cup of tea, please." Lyra felt goosebumps rise up on her arms. She looked up to see who had spoken and froze, just staring at the woman. Katiebeecher :After ordering her tea, Katie unwrapped the scarf from around her head as she settled into a tall chair at the bar. Then she glanced around the room. She saw a young woman at the table in the far corner staring at her. There was no mistaking those eyes... :"Lyra?" Katie said, in a voice so low it was almost a whisper. "Lyra!" she exclaimed as she thrust back her chair to rush across the room. "Oh, I never expected to find you here... she'd said you were in Shrewsbury... oh! my dear girl." With that, Katie threw her arms around Lyra in a tight embrace. Lyrabeecher :Lyra was overwhelmed with emotion as she clung to her mother, feeling warm and safe in her arms. When the two woman finally loosened their embrace, Lyra's eyes glistened with tears while her face shone with joy. Looking past her mother's shoulder towards the door, Lyra asked with anticipation, "Is Papa here too?" Llefelys :The young welshman walked in, in a need of a drink. He had just been asked to join the Derby Town Council. A small accomplishment that he was very proud of. He made his way to the bar and ordered a drink, not bothering to hide his grin. Katiebeecher :When Lyra asked about her father, Katie's heart ached. Katie looked at her daughter with a sad smile and reached out to brush a stray lock of hair back from Lyra's face. Resting her hand on Lyra's cheek, Katie sighed slightly, hating what she had to tell. :"No, sweetheart," Katie said gently. "Your father was determined to find you. Over the years, he's taken many, many journeys -- following even the slightest of clues trying to find where you'd been taken. Usually he'd return after a month or two, but this latest trip..." :Katie paused, looking at how Lyra's joyful expression had faded and now she looked concerned and frightened. :"I haven't seen your father in over two years, Lyra. All I know is that he went south, beyond that, I don't know where he is." :Noticing the young man that had entered the pub, Katie patted Lyra's arm and indicated she'd be right back. Katie went back to where she'd left her travel bag at the bar and said to the young man, "Excuse me. I'll just move this out of your way." Then Katie went back to Lyra and the two of them sat down at Lyra's table. Martha_ann :Martha Ann enters once again into the tavern where she met Auntie Gabby and things got started. No longer afraid of all the horse play, she enters and sits down, seeing the dog that looked so much like her fathers. She gazed at it for a while, remembering all the fun times with her father and the dog. She grins, one time one of her Aunts came in from across the country. Rounder and I had been playing in the yard when she walked up. The dog went crazy from the new comer and chased her up a tree. Page 11 Lyrabeecher :Lyra and her mother, Katie, sat talking for quite some time. Lyra told Katie about the night she was kidnapped and her years as a prisoner, as well as how she'd escaped and what she'd been doing since. :Katie told Lyra about how a couple on horses had stopped at her house, about how the woman had told her that Lyra was living in Shrewsbury, and that was the reason that she was traveling now... to go find Lyra there. :"Well, no," Lyra said, "I don't live there. I've been traveling so much, I'm not sure that it's right to say that I live anywhere, though I have a corn field up in Kendal. I did stay in Shrewsbury for an extended period a little while back." Lyra was thoughtful for a moment, then asked "What did the woman look like?" :Katie described the woman and Lyra immediately felt she knew who it was. "That sounds like Jasmyne. She was very helpful to me when I visited Shrewsbury. She even introduced me to Anonymoose, who was mayor there at the time and used to be their sheriff. Anonymoose had met Papa briefly when he'd passed through when she'd been sheriff. She gave me a box he'd left behind and we found a secret compartment containing a map with a drawing on the back." :Lyra pulled out the box and map to show her mother. :http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i72/ehanonymoose/westbox2.jpg :http://library.fandm.edu/archives/webpagepicts/1675map.jpg :She flipped over the map to show the drawing on the reverse side. :http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i72/ehanonymoose/castle.gif :"Do these mean anything to you, Mummy?" Lyra asked her. Katiebeecher :Katie looked at the things Lyra showed her. She nodded at the box and map. "Yes, those were your father's ... he made the maps over his many journeys." Then looking thoughtfully at the drawing, Katie tapped it with her finger as she said, "this looks vaguely familiar but I can't place it right now." She sighed, "My memory isn't as good as it used to be." :Taking a last swallow of her tea, Katie glanced out of the window and noted where the sun was in the sky. "We are much closer to Shrewsbury here than we are to the house. Why don't we continue on there and thank Jasmyne for her help in our finding each other." :So, mother and daughter collected together their belongings, wrapped up against the cold, and left the pub heading towards Shrewsbury. Category:Work in Progress